Pretending
by Anni3
Summary: Sequel to "Fourth Time's The Charm". Please also read "Cole's Coronation" as this is an AU.
1. Putting on Appearances

Darryl's POV – after Cole's Confession

I am able to focus on my work full force now that Andy has turned the world upside down. The night that Andy said he was involved with Cole for evil purposes; it put me over the edge. I could handle the sisters being witches, sure, but not this. My own partner in the police department, working for the really, really bad guys… I can't get him fired. What would I say?

"Hi, boss. Andy should be let go because he's working for The Source." That would go over nicely.

The best thing I have been able to do since I found out is treat Andy cordially as a partner, but not go with him after work for coffee or anything social. We've been friends for years… around the time I met my wife, Sheila. It's a shame.

Since I am not spending nearly as much time with Andy as I was, I have been thinking a lot about his behavior. I had an epiphany yesterday that I cannot believe or disprove, and definitely cannot get out of my mind. I was thinking of when we had to go to the apartment complex last year to see if we could gather some clues about a murder. When Andy knocked on the door to Cole's apartment, both of them acted as if they had never met each other! Like they were putting on appearances for… my benefit? It then occurred to me that they must have known each other previously; maybe as far back as Andy and _I_ go. It's all so confusing! I know heading over to the demon side of things is something _I_ would be selective about telling people, but Andy should have told me.

Heck, Andy should have told _Prue_ **way** sooner. I don't know if they're even together at this point. I only know about Cole being The Source through Leo and the sisters. I haven't spoken to Cole at all since that very weird night. I have no idea about what else Andy has done, and I want to keep it that way. I don't want to vanquish him. That sounds very odd, I think I need some sleep.


	2. Family Protection

Phoebe's POV – after Cole's confession

As you may have guessed, I'm into my next year at school now; a journalism junior. I was beginning to think after I talked with Leslie St. Claire that day that I may just want to get a job at the _Mirror_ to see what's going on with him. I'm now obsessed with that newspaper, and I finally got into the habit of italicizing newspaper names.

Ah! I have it! I'll get a job with the _Register-Tribune_ instead. That way I can spy on him and hear gossip from afar! Perfect! Hahaha! I feel so diabolical!

Speaking of obsessions, I love Cole, but he's The Source. Maybe I should focus my attention elsewhere; it might be less dangerous. Plus, I really don't want to date a demon again, if that's what we were doing.

In other dating news, Leo and Billie broke up. I did mention that when it happened right? There was a huge verbal back-and-forth in her dorm room. I think she dropped out. We haven't seen her around since… come to think of it, Leo has pretty much disappeared too since Cole opened the can of worms. Paige is our sole white-lighter now. Sam… I don't know about Sam. I suppose Prue has gone to Lake again, so she may have seen him. It's probably safer for him if he keeps a low profile, especially around Piper. She's been fuming over the "breakup of her family" since the Cole fiasco.

"The Warrens would be appalled at what has happened to us, Phoebe," she said one day as she was putting tomatoes into a pot.

"I think most people wouldn't believe it. Innocents, I mean."

"Well of _course_ not innocents. Phoebe, we need to be serious about this. I don't want this family to go their separate ways like last time. I couldn't bear it."

"What I don't want this to turn into is us protecting innocents from _Cole_," remarked Prue.

"Yuck," Piper said. "Don't say that out loud! Is there an anti-jinx spell? Did we add one yet?"

"Paranoid Piper," we both said in unison. Prue added the clucking of her tongue.

"I am _not_ paranoid!" she bellowed. She calmly continued, "I simply want the welfare of this family to be assured."

Prue and I looked at each other knowingly as if to say, "Yep, paranoid."


	3. Reality Can Be Deceiving

Leslie St. Claire's POV

I grabbed a coffee at the shop that was diagonally across from the _Mirror._ I felt very pleased that I guaranteed this job for myself. Elise ran the paper all right, don't get me wrong, but I personally am more personable.

It didn't hurt that I had a great supervisor that gave me that ultimate glowing recommendation to be promoted. Ah, how I should thank you, Chris Waller. I daren't because that would blow our cover. Totally would ruin everything I've worked for so long. The Charmed Ones don't know it yet, but their little buddy Chris is not the sweet nice guy he seems.

I suppose you could say we're almost as bad as Andy and Cole, without The Source part of it. I'd like to think we're helping society with our plan. Like Piper, Prue and the rest are helping innocents with theirs. Well, not exactly.

Chris Waller and I first met when I was in college. I know he's a white-lighter, but that didn't stop him from secretly breaking the rules for evil purposes. What is it the Charmed Ones call it? Personal gain… ah, yes, personal gain. It's lovely really. He helped me with my personal gain of being promoted when I got this _Mirror_ gig because in return, I'm not going to spill the beans on what his plan is. But of course, that's for me to know and you to… not know.

His plan is really _his_ plan, but I called it our plan because I'm the backup; the secret-keeper. Speaking of secrets, I know of Phoebe's power, retro-reanimation. It's a fancy word that means she can see into the past and change it. Only if she wants to of course; and only if it doesn't involve the forbidden phrase _personal gain_. Being in my situation does have its perks.

See, how retro-reanimation works is, Phoebe can look into the past, and then she can choose to leave it alone, or she can transfer there, but she has to wear the same clothes she was wearing when she had the vision. In other words, if she transports to the 1950s, people will look at her very strangely. The point is, she can change the past, and of course that will change the present drastically and permanently. No wonder she hasn't used it yet.

Oh, I've almost said too much. Better to just say I drank my coffee and went back to work and had the most boring day of my career, so as not to make you suspicious.


	4. Broken

Prue's POV – three weeks after Cole's confession

I'm about to break down. I haven't spoken to Andy since that _night_. I've been way too upset about him saying he can't marry me. Who _does_ that? What type of man does it take to get all your trust and then throw it away because he's working for Cole Turner? Cole **Turner**. I guess I can't hate Cole for all this, but I'm definitely going to be more careful about who I get into a relationship with. I don't know how, but I'm going to make sure that the person I am with is someone who is honest about themselves.

Piper is trying to reassure me, but it really is not working. What can she tell me about relationships? She doesn't have a boyfriend. I doubt if she's ever been in love. I want to get the guts to talk with Phoebe about it, but it doesn't seem right somehow. Not just because she was in a relationship with Cole, either. Darryl is my one friend in this whole thing.

My auction house job is going all right. I've tried to put everything behind me when I walk through those big doors every morning, but it's very difficult. Sometimes I need Paige to white-light me out of there for a few minutes.

Even she's hard to talk to about this. She's still with Chris, so I don't know if she can relate. The closest she got is telling me the times when Chris disappeared for long periods of time.

"Do you think he's cheating?" I wondered.

"Of course not; but I know there's something he's not telling me."

"Do you have more money than you used to?" I asked.

"N—Wait. I mean, do you think it's possible he got a job and didn't say anything?"

"Sometimes men are hard to read," is all I said.

"Why lie about something like that?"

"Maybe it's a job you'd disapprove of." I like Chris for Paige, so I tried to think of things that would comfort her.

"What kind of job would I dis—forget it; I'm getting summoned by a charge."

* * *

I know my life will be different soon enough and I won't have all these emotions. Until then, I will be steadfast in staying away from Andy. I don't think anything can be gained from seeing him again, at least for now.

Maybe singleness is a gift.


	5. The Other Leech

Chris' POV – during Cole's confession

I called Cole a leech because that is really who he is. _I mean it. What I don't want to tell everyone yet is that so am I. Not as bad, of course. Paige is still the love of my life, but I can't seem to break it to her that I have a plan that will ruin the Halliwell name forever._

_Definitely not until the effects of this meeting have blown over. I think it would be disastrous if I said anything right now, in this space. Piper would be the first to retaliate, I'm sure. _

"Chris?" Prue said as I was exiting. _I should leave now before I say anything I'll regret._

"I'm going to go now," I said calmly. "It's not worth it to get in a fight with that **fib**-torney."

"Come on, Chris, what have I lied to you about?" Cole Turner asked coolly.

"You've lied to everyone here. I'm leaving." I walked fast out the door and orbed out.

I had moved out of Paige and mine's apartment for a while, but I did come back. The apartment's atmosphere wasn't a lot better than the one I had just left, though. Paige was sulky. I had previously thought of hiring Leo to paint the walls a sunny yellow, but now it seemed pointless. Plus, the apartment manager probably wouldn't let him.

Leo and I aren't exactly friends. I have nothing in common with him particularly. At least not now that I've started the plan with Leslie… he's my right-hand man.

Stage one of course was getting Leslie promoted instead of Elise, which I didn't mind doing at all. Yes, she has a family, but she got a job with Turner, so everything worked out.

I do feel mildly upset that Tanner had to die, but Cole is my enemy. Andy on the other hand is a pushover; I'm not afraid of him. Tanner obviously has a part in the plan.

Even though he died? Yeah, I'll let you think that.


	6. Questioning Honesty

Paige's POV – after complaining to Prue

Things at the apartment with Chris have gotten strange. I was honest with Prue when I said that Chris disappears a lot. It has to be more than helping charges. Even I don't have that much unaccounted time for doing my white-lighter duties.

The Elders haven't said anything about what he's up to; I've made it a point of asking. I'm worried, frankly. People in relationships should be able to talk to each other, and Chris and I agreed early on that that's what we'd do. This turn of events is something I'm hesitant to speak with him about. He really hasn't been the same since Cole broke that awful news.

Come to think of it, it was even before then that he acted differently. I know he's covering something up, but I can't pinpoint what. He isn't cheating; he would never do that. Definitely lying, though… I could write in this journal all day about what I think it could be. The only way to find out is actually ask him. Difficult situations make me go back and forth and think of pros and cons. At least since I met Sam; it's hard to explain. I'm a little more careful now about what I say, _especially_ since I found out Andy was the one who was shimmering people out.

* * *

"Hey, honey," I said to Chris as he walked in a couple days later in the afternoon. I hadn't seen him all day yesterday, which gave me the resolve to ask him what was up.

"Hi. Paige, I'm very tired, can we talk later?"

"No, Chris," I started boldly. "We need to talk now. At least, I need to listen to you now about where you've been. You keep-"

"I know, Paige. I just need some time to myself. Honest."

"Are you? Honest?"

"Really, after everything you're family's been through, I'm still here. Of course I'm being honest."

I dropped my gaze as he said that. Maybe I was overreacting, but I didn't think so. I pressed on.

"Chris, just tell me where you've been and I'll let it go for now." He owed me that much.

He didn't answer right away. Sighing, he sat down on the couch. "All right, okay. I have been working on a project."

"What kind of-" I asked, before he cut me off again.

"Drop it like you said. Please. Look Paige, please just take my word for it."

"Is it a surprise?" I said expectantly. I could forgive him for that. The thought made me brighten.

"You could say that," he said. "Come here," he said. He wrapped me in his arms and kissed me.

Everything was going to be okay, I reasoned.


	7. The Mentor

Andy's POV

Now that I know of Cole's disease, we've had to plan differently than we originally set out to. He's not going to make me The Source, but _someone_ is going to assume that position. That was the initial plan – that I'd be The Source when Cole died of other than natural causes. Now, though, there are a few adjustments.

We've had to consider who the new Source is going to be. It is up to Cole. Since the accident with Dan Gordon and Tanner, Cole has given me more specific instructions on how to deal with people who are in the way of crossfire. I've been practicing. Unbeknownst to Prue, I have been taking some of the Charmed Ones potions they've cooked up and left out by accident. These help me develop the skills Cole needs me to.

I'm getting more confident every day that this plan of ours of narrowing down the future Source will be the best Source ever, even better than Cole. More suited, I should say. I wish I was more suited for my detective job than I am. With all these plans swirling around my head, Darryl and I have barely talked. I can tell he's upset, so it's just as well. As far as Prue, we've talked a few times. Piper feels sorry for me so she lets me in the Manor every now and then. That's my opportunity to commandeer the potions.

I've gotten used to leading this double life. It's more surrounding Cole's plan than anything else, though. My job as a detective wasn't suffering so much at first. After Cole's confession of his disease, I've had to really pull back on the quality of my job to focus on the quality of Cole's.

You could say it's becoming an obsession. Cole is my mentor now. I'm learning so much more about the world by doing these projects than I would as a simple detective protecting innocents with Darryl. Cole's projects are so much more interesting and relevant to me. Innocents are neither innocent nor off limits.


	8. The Scheme

Phoebe's POV

The _Register-Tribune_ has a brand new intern! Me! I can't officially be part of the staff until I prove I can handle high stress and finish my degree, which is almost done anyway. I have a few extra courses to complete, and then I'll be golden. Leslie Snot Claire gossip is rampant, which is just as I'd hoped.

"I hear he's single," said my new best friend Stacy. She swished her dark brown hair around as she said it.

"Yeah, but what makes you think he'd go for you?" I asked innocently.

"Well, uh, he's cute. And he's a good writer… I'll move up soon enough, Phoebe. He'll see what he's missing."

I sighed, and had to smile. She went back to her typing. I then got an idea. "Stace, what if you got really gutsy and asked him out? Like, before you get promoted?"

"You're playing matchmaker now?"

"That way you could see for sure if he's single and learn more about him, that's all. Give it a shot."

"Hmmm, maybe…" She smiled slyly. "That is actually a good idea," she admitted, thinking it over.

"Call him right now," I said, almost urgently. "I'm sure you could look him up, since he works at a paper."

"Oh, well, sure why not? What have I got to lose?"

"There you go," I said. All the while I was hoping that during the date Leslie would slip up and tell her what made him a bad guy; or at least part of it. I could hope. Then she'd dish.

I was ecstatic the rest of the day, even handing out mail because the mail clerk was out sick.

This was going to be life changing.


End file.
